MLS team proposes to build soccer academy in O'side

OCEANSIDE  A Major League Soccer team wants to build a soccer academy on the site of a beleaguered city-run golf course just east of Interstate 5 in Oceanside.

For years, the city has been looking for alternative uses for the 76-acre Center City Golf Course, which sits just north of Oceanside Boulevard and less than two miles from the beach. At one point, the Chargers expressed interest in building a stadium there, but that idea fizzled in 2007.

On Wednesday, the City Council will hear a proposal from Dell Loy Hansen, owner of the Real Salt Lake team in Salt Lake City, for a training complex at the site that would include six private soccer fields.

On the property’s remaining space, the company would build a redesigned golf course reduced to nine holes, a public trail and other recreational uses. Eventually, the project could be expanded to add an 8,000-seat soccer stadium for a minor league soccer team and two hotels, city officials said.

The project is expected to cost about $8 million, not including the hotels.

During Wednesday’s council meeting, the public will have an opportunity to speak on the proposal before the council decides on whether to pursue a lease agreement with the team or head in another direction.

But several neighbors and golfers say the course should be reinvigorated but remain intact.

Residents near the property say they were surprised when details of the soccer team’s proposal recently started to emerge.

“We feel like the city is trying to steal our golf course, steal our land, all very hush-hush,” said Rick Kratcoski, a community activist in the Loma Alta neighborhood who has run for City Council several times.

Kratcoski helped organize a neighborhood meeting Thursday where city officials talked to residents about the proposal. About 50 people attended the event and most expressed opposition to the soccer academy plan.

During the meeting, former City Manager Peter Weiss — now a consultant for the city — said the team plans to use the academy to train local talent to play soccer at the college and professional level.

Initially, the team would lease the property for two years to build the soccer fields and develop the new golf course. After the two years, the team could extend the lease to 50 years.

The city would get a minimum rent of $12,000 a year and eventually 5 percent of revenues generated by the golf course, soccer fields and ticket sales.

Development of the hotels would require a separate agreement.

Trey Fitz-Gerald, spokesman for the team, said Loy Hansen owns a home in Oceanside and wants to bring soccer to the city.

“He’s really excited about the possibility of Oceanside being a home to a minor league soccer team that we operate and have an interest in,” he said.

Fitz-Gerald declined to address concerns from the public about the plan saying he was not prepared to do so at the time. He added that Loy Hansen will be at the council meeting to present his proposal.